as I thought. “So, we need a ring and an announcement? Step one.”
“Yes.”
“Step two is…?”
“You being you.”
“Me being me?” I smirked.
She leant towards me. “Yes. I need you to be the very wrong sort of guy.”
I pretended to think about it. “And what is this going to do to my work reputation?”
A sudden uncertainty crossed her face as though she hadn’t thought about it. “Hm. Good point. Will it adversely affect your job if we ruin your prim and proper appearance?”
I shrugged. “I’m not sure. It might put a bit of a dampener on some of the jobs I get. On the other hand, it might get me a few more.” I winked and she smiled. “I’d say most people know I’m paid to escort clients to functions.”
“I didn’t recognise you and I was at the Nelsons’ appreciation party.”
“Then we’re obviously more discrete than I thought.”
“Or I’m far more oblivious than I thought.”
I chuckled. “I doubt that.”
“Regardless.” She smiled. “Let’s not play up your less savoury attributes too much, then. A little, but not to the point that you lose your livelihood.”
“Eh.” I shrugged again. “If it all goes tits up, I can always fall back on male prostitute.”
Leah snorted and covered her mouth as though she’d failed to keep her food in there. Once she’d had a moment, she nodded nonchalantly. “I suppose there is that,” she said with humour.
“Anything else I need to know? Keep my hands to myself in public? No shenanigans? Strictly professional?” I was totally teasing and hoping that, by bringing them up as things I should probably not do, she’d say they were definitely things that should happen.
My hopes were fulfilled.
“The opposite. We need to sell the totally loved up couple. I’d say over the clothes touching in public is allowed as long as you steer clear from anywhere too sexual–”
“So, try not to slip my hand between your legs in front of other people then?” I joked.
“More’s the pity,” was her quick response before she went on. “Kissing is encouraged, but maybe not so far as tongue. And, as for shenanigans…” She leant towards me again and propped her chin in her hand. “I don’t see why two consenting adults can’t have a bit of fun while we’re at it.”
I nodded as though I was thoughtfully considering her words. “So basically, we’d be playing at a real relationship.”
Leah paused for a second before answering and I wasn’t sure if that had put her off or not. “All of the perks and none of the hassle,” she agreed finally.
“Okay. I don’t see how hanging out with you could ever be a hassle, but okay. I’m in.”
She breathed out deeply like she’d been holding her breath. “Really?”
I nod-shrugged. “Why not? Sounds like fun.”
She laughed like she was relieved. “Okay. Great. Brilliant.”
We sat and looked at each other over our meals for a little while, smiles growing on our faces until we were both beaming.
“So, I suppose I might need your personal number,” she finally said.
“That you might,” I answered with a nod, pulling out my business card. I passed it to her and she looked marginally impressed.
“So, Mrs Fortescue has your mobile number?” she asked, flipping the business card to look at the back.
“She probably does, but I can’t say for sure.”
“And yet she gave me your work number?”
“That sounds like her.”
Leah nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it does.”
We spent another hour or so finishing our meals and chatting. We went over a few details like getting hold of a ring and how we’d go about telling her mother. But, mostly, it was just general talk like what our work days looked like, our friends, a few family mentions. It was casual and easy. So easy that I couldn’t recall ever feeling that at ease around a woman before where there was absolutely no pretence.
It made me realise that I couldn’t remember the last time I’d just talked to a woman. Not when it wasn’t for work, or with the hope of taking her home. Not including my family, of course. I wasn’t sure if that said more about me, my lifestyle, or just suggested that maybe I wasn’t quite as awesome around the opposite sex as I’d originally thought.
Not that I thought about that for long, because Leah had me just totally wrapped up in the moment until I went back to the office.
“You didn’t need the whole afternoon, then,” Chaos commented as I walked in. His tone was full of innuendo.
“Clearly wasn’t engaged in